140 local farmers and other residents of the Da Phuc Village in Sai Son commune are performers in The Quintissence of Tonkin, a show directed by Viet Tu. (Photos courtesy of the show’s producer) Hanoi (VNA) - The latest show bytheatre director Viet Tu, performed on a 1.5 hectare lake, has broken newground in more ways than one.
For one, it has humans perform roles played bypuppets in traditional water puppetry shows.
Then, it uses actual farmers who till thefields, whose life is depicted by the art of water puppetry, to play the roles.
The play is a vivid cultural exploration of wetrice cultivation, which has not just fed people, but also created the RedRiver civilisation of Viet people.
Titled “Thuo Ay Xu Doai” or “TheQuintessence of Tonkin”, the one-hour play amazed audiences when it was stagedon a 1.5ha lake in Hanoi’s Sai Son commune.
The commune is located in Hanoi’s suburbandistrict of Quoc Oai, called Xu Doai in the old days.
Tu said the play was inspired by Vietnam’s waterpuppetry.
“Vietnamese water puppetry is very well known.Almost every foreign tourist coming to Vietnam has to see a show. However, Ididn’t want to create something similar to what exists. Instead, in my show,the humans perform and replace the characters of the puppets.”
Tu has a reputation for doing thingsdifferently.
His Four Palaces, an artisticinterpretation of “hau dong”, a traditional ritual in which a medium ispossessed by several deities, was highly acclaimed by both domestic and foreignaudiences when it was released at the end of 2015.
For his latest play, 140 locals, farmers andresidents of the Da Phuc Village in Sai Son commune, have become performers.
“During the day, they are farmers working intheir fields, and in the night, they become different characters in the show.
“I was very moved, and highly appreciate theeffort they’ve put in to rehearse the play for almost on year.”
The show has many lively scenes that show thedaily life of farmers, including tilling the soil and sowing rice. Herdsmanplay the flute, children fly kites or and real ducks swimming in the lake.Bamboo planted by the lake adds to the authenticity that The Quintessenceof Tonkin tries to achieve.
The audience has been amazed with the “thuydinh” (pavilion on water), which is a life-size replica of the one builtduring the Ly Dynasty (1010 - 1225) on the village’s Long Chieu Pond.
“The village’s “thuy dinh” is theplace where water puppetry is performed. Monk and zen master Tu Dao Hanh(1072-1116), who spent his life at the Thay Pagoda in the village, isconsidered the ancestor of this art form. That’s why I want to bring this ideato the show,” Tu said, explaining why he decided to create a 10-tonne replicaof “thuy dinh”.
Based on several famous water puppetry acts, theshow opens with the Teu Giao Dau (The Prelude of Teu). Local life inXu Doai is reproduced on the stage with puppetry acts like Duoi Cao Bat Vit (ExpellFox and Catch Duck), Ngu Ong (Fisherman), Chim Loan Phuong (ThePhoenix).
In between the puppet scenes, farmersperform Nang Som (Early Morning Sunlight), Dao Lieu or theartistic demonstration of a village festival and vinh qui bai tổ – atradition since the 15th century, which is the homecoming of a osuccessfulgraduate greeted by a jubilant village. The extravagant procession and ceremonyhighlights the sweat and tears needed to achieve such honours.
With the stage on water, the replica of “thuydinh” and a modern laser lighting system creating amazingeffects, The Quintessence of Tonkin is a striking visual feast.
Historian Duong Trung Quoc heaped praise on theshow, saying: “The producer and director have invested not only in a new stageconcept, sounding and lighting system, but in real people. The decision toselect local farmers to become performers has struck an emotional chord withthe audience, including me.”
Veteran artist Duc Hung of the Thang Long WaterPuppetry Theatre said that the traditional puppetry acts have been given afresh twist by The Quintessence of Tonkin.
“I got goose bumps when I watched the show. Iadmire director Tu because he has used a very creative way to tell the culturalstory of Xu Doai 1,000 years ago.”
From now until September 30, TheQuintessence of Tonkin will be staged from Friday to Sunday every week,starting from 7.30pm. For ticket information, please call 0904567766. Ticketpromotion: Buy 1 get 1 until September 30.-VNA
For one, it has humans perform roles played bypuppets in traditional water puppetry shows.
Then, it uses actual farmers who till thefields, whose life is depicted by the art of water puppetry, to play the roles.
The play is a vivid cultural exploration of wetrice cultivation, which has not just fed people, but also created the RedRiver civilisation of Viet people.
Titled “Thuo Ay Xu Doai” or “TheQuintessence of Tonkin”, the one-hour play amazed audiences when it was stagedon a 1.5ha lake in Hanoi’s Sai Son commune.
The commune is located in Hanoi’s suburbandistrict of Quoc Oai, called Xu Doai in the old days.
Tu said the play was inspired by Vietnam’s waterpuppetry.
“Vietnamese water puppetry is very well known.Almost every foreign tourist coming to Vietnam has to see a show. However, Ididn’t want to create something similar to what exists. Instead, in my show,the humans perform and replace the characters of the puppets.”
Tu has a reputation for doing thingsdifferently.
His Four Palaces, an artisticinterpretation of “hau dong”, a traditional ritual in which a medium ispossessed by several deities, was highly acclaimed by both domestic and foreignaudiences when it was released at the end of 2015.
For his latest play, 140 locals, farmers andresidents of the Da Phuc Village in Sai Son commune, have become performers.
“During the day, they are farmers working intheir fields, and in the night, they become different characters in the show.
“I was very moved, and highly appreciate theeffort they’ve put in to rehearse the play for almost on year.”
The show has many lively scenes that show thedaily life of farmers, including tilling the soil and sowing rice. Herdsmanplay the flute, children fly kites or and real ducks swimming in the lake.Bamboo planted by the lake adds to the authenticity that The Quintessenceof Tonkin tries to achieve.
The audience has been amazed with the “thuydinh” (pavilion on water), which is a life-size replica of the one builtduring the Ly Dynasty (1010 - 1225) on the village’s Long Chieu Pond.
“The village’s “thuy dinh” is theplace where water puppetry is performed. Monk and zen master Tu Dao Hanh(1072-1116), who spent his life at the Thay Pagoda in the village, isconsidered the ancestor of this art form. That’s why I want to bring this ideato the show,” Tu said, explaining why he decided to create a 10-tonne replicaof “thuy dinh”.
Based on several famous water puppetry acts, theshow opens with the Teu Giao Dau (The Prelude of Teu). Local life inXu Doai is reproduced on the stage with puppetry acts like Duoi Cao Bat Vit (ExpellFox and Catch Duck), Ngu Ong (Fisherman), Chim Loan Phuong (ThePhoenix).
In between the puppet scenes, farmersperform Nang Som (Early Morning Sunlight), Dao Lieu or theartistic demonstration of a village festival and vinh qui bai tổ – atradition since the 15th century, which is the homecoming of a osuccessfulgraduate greeted by a jubilant village. The extravagant procession and ceremonyhighlights the sweat and tears needed to achieve such honours.
With the stage on water, the replica of “thuydinh” and a modern laser lighting system creating amazingeffects, The Quintessence of Tonkin is a striking visual feast.
Historian Duong Trung Quoc heaped praise on theshow, saying: “The producer and director have invested not only in a new stageconcept, sounding and lighting system, but in real people. The decision toselect local farmers to become performers has struck an emotional chord withthe audience, including me.”
Veteran artist Duc Hung of the Thang Long WaterPuppetry Theatre said that the traditional puppetry acts have been given afresh twist by The Quintessence of Tonkin.
“I got goose bumps when I watched the show. Iadmire director Tu because he has used a very creative way to tell the culturalstory of Xu Doai 1,000 years ago.”
From now until September 30, TheQuintessence of Tonkin will be staged from Friday to Sunday every week,starting from 7.30pm. For ticket information, please call 0904567766. Ticketpromotion: Buy 1 get 1 until September 30.-VNA
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